Julio Arca hails fantastic South Shields crowd as 1,045 turn out for game

Julio Arca celebrates his goal. Pic: Peter Talbot

Daniel Prince

Published:11:03Monday 12 October 2015

Share this article

Sign Up To Our Daily Newsletter

South Shields were watched by their biggest home crowd for 20 years as they racked up an eighth straight win with a 4-0 thumping of Ryton and Crawcrook Albion on Saturday.

More than 1,000 fans were at the Northern League Division Two game, with goals by Lewis Teasdale, Warren Byrne, Julio Arca and Leepaul Scroggins wrapping up the three points.

The crowd of 1,045 was the biggest at Mariners Park since 1,500 saw Shields take on Spennymoor in the Durham Challenge Cup final of 1995 as the positive vibe around the club continues.

Speaking afterwards, Arca said: “The crowd was fantastic. A few weeks ago, I said that if we keep winning and performing, we will hopefully keep them coming back.

“They’ve been fantastic, and we can’t ask for anything more than what they’ve already given us.

“The support they have given to the whole team is superb, and it’s great that we’re giving them something back.

Lewis Teasdale celebrates his goal. Pic: Peter Talbot

“They’re paying for their tickets, and hopefully they’re having a good day out and can’t wait for the next game.”

The first opportunity of the match came when Adam Curry – who was a constant presence going forward from left-back – delivered a superb low cross which goalkeeper Tom Chrostowski parried to Andrew Bulford, but he was unable to react quickly enough and the ball bounced away.

The Mariners opened the scoring on 12 minutes when a cross from the left by Arca was headed back across goal by Bulford and turned in by Teasdale as he claimed his first goal for the club.

Teasdale was denied when Chrostowski saved his shot from distance, while Bulford wasted a huge opportunity when he was sent through on goal by a ball over the top from Ben Riding, but could only skew his effort into the side netting.

South Shields had a crowd of 1,045

Bulford sent an overhead kick wide and later headed past the post, and Shields knew they could be made to pay for their missed chances.

That almost proved to be the case seven minutes after half-time when Ryton’s Sam Moore was sent clean through on goal, but poked the ball wide.

That appeared to be the warning sign the hosts needed, and they almost went 2-0 up when a wicked Adam Sakr delivery from the right was powerfully headed against his own crossbar by Adam Chrostowski.